Central Queensland teens most costly to raise - report shows

DANIELLE Monteith's shopping obsession admittedly could be her downfall.

The Emerald teenager said she sometimes struggled to keep on top of her financial repayments earlier this year.

Repayments like her monthly mobile phone bill, her car loan and food.

A new Suncorp report yesterday showed Central Queensland teenagers were the most expensive children in the country, with the age of 17 being crowned the single most expensive year in a child's life.

The report stated the cost of raising children in Central Queensland, for parents, was increasing by up to $1300 every year.

It also stated that the average spending amount a week, for a teenager between 13 and 17, was $258 for things like furniture, education and personal care products.

With a full-time job at an Emerald accounting firm, a considerable load has been lifted off Danielle's shoulders. She now manages to stay on top of her bills as much as she can, although she says she sometimes has a helping hand from her mum and dad, with whom she lives.

"It's scary to think about going out on your own," she said.

Clothes and shoe shopping often put her out of pocket sometimes, she said.

About $200, out of her weekly pay, goes into savings and $188 comes out for monthly car and phone bill repayments.